Fluid dispensing apparatus



Oct. 20, 1931. J. c. woont-'ORD 1,828,696

FLUID DISPENS ING vAPPARATUS Filed Nov. 28. 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet l N 'S Q UQ Si l ,R

: s 1 ,ir-f -Egg l IQ N QQ Q QN@ :N 3 NR i l D @D if l l .Q :SEL i h 1 N QJ /m/f/vo/.-

Oct. 20, 1931- J. c. wooDFoRD 1,828,696

l FLUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Fled Nov. 28 1930 ISSheets-Sheet 2 5( im y Mu Oct. 20, 1931. J. c. woonFoRD i1,828,696

FYLUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 28, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 x/osfP/L/ C M100/fang Said tanks 11 .are connected with the common manifold 18 through respective valves 19-:which may be manually operated to prevent the escape of compressed fluid from respective tanks when desired and said manifold l8has the branch 2l to which one or r more flexible dispensing conduits 22 may be to compressefluid; each of said'congdensers is connected, each provided with a valve coupling 23 at its discharge end for detachable connection kwith-a vehicletire valve. y

-1 vr.In-ordersto facilitate the startingl of said units in operation yafter they have been used v conveniently provided with a conduit 25 through which the .compressed .air which otherwise would resist the starting movement of thel pump maybe vented under lcontrol of the ,respective valves/26 eachfo'f which is mountedfto reciprocate `in respective ,cas-V ings 27, as indicatedin"FiglILV As`indicated in'Fig. III,`each valve 26 'controls a port 28 leading to the outer atmosphere throughits'vent'tuhe 29 y"but is ,continually thrust by afspring 30 .to closel such port. However, each o fsaidvalves is'adapted tov be opened by; a plunger-31 which isf'moun'ted l toV reciprocate 'fin the Vvalve casing l27 'and bythe screw 4 1' with ,theV movable Contact block 42 of insulating'material, lso as ,to close the v`ienergizing circuit of ltheflocal motor 8V i Gp,

Y connected by :binding posts 58 and 59 ,withA respectiye `elect-ric conductors and 61` outV asf,

`inaiftained when in ,theposition' shownin Eig.' IIfand to break suchV circuit whe'nv said lever 34 turned counterclockwise in Fig; II. Said block 42carri`es the spring pressed terminals 'l 43 and 45 vof the respective flexible" electrical conduetorselandwhich extend in said casing 36fin'a'1loopg`from the clamp 48, and t-hruan openingv49 inthe' back ofsaid casing.

Said'terminals 43and45 areadapted to reg-V isterin VContactwith respective stationaryterminalsl and 52 which. are supported by the-.bar 53, Vof insulating material,whi ch is rigidly connected lzwithf .said casing` v36 thru A the insulating pad 5.5;.. ",Saidiblock'42 is main! tained" in kproper Jcooperative relation with said bar 53 by the 'stud-57 which projects rig#- idlyxfrom said block 42 andis Vslip fittedin al hole :in .said bar 53;."k Said stationary termi-` nals 5l I and 52 ,areV respectively' `electrically sa d motor energizing circuit,V Y' fsw tch shown 1n Figll 1s normally des@ Gaone en@ of which is connected with the stud 64 in said casing 6 and the other lend of which is `engaged with the cam latch 65. Each such latch 65 is pivotally connected by a pin 66 with a pair of links 67 which are suspended at their other ends upon said pin, 32; ,said pin 66 vprojecting kthru opposite openings 68 in said lever 34 to limit the freedom of movement V'of said links 67. Each of said latches V'65 *hasya double* inclined cam eredi-70 which normally depends over the vright si'deof a roller 7l carried by a lever 72 'ulcrumed at -73-insaid casing 36, as shown in Fig. II, with tne effect of then stressing said lever to turn clockwise and thus'v normally maintaining said circuit closed. However, each lever 72 is adapted tobetilted clockwise to move its *roller 7l past the crest yof its latch camf'70;

whereupomthe latch and switch lever34 are snapped v counterclockwise vby their' spring I63 to open the circuit and thus stop the electric motor energized thereby, `it jandnwhen said lever 72isv subjected to ai predetermined pres; sure of the fluid torv herdispense'd. y l `uch'pressu're is variable byairial adjust ment of the spring 76 which is engaged at one end with thevupp'er end of said lever 72 andadjustably connected at its other endV with the casing '36, by means of the screw y77 which extends through `said casing in engagement with the nut 78 liked inl said'spring and has the lhead 79V exterior lto said casing adapted toy be turned by any suitable wrench.'

"lhearrangementis suchthat the'sjtrefss of said spring 76'may be increased orldiriiin#l ishedfin laccordance with the direction of turningmovement of said screw77. '4 Y Y Said 'leverr72`has the short arm Slin co#r operative relation j with `the stud '82 'which has' a broad head restingonthe flexible dia- Apluagin',83 and subjected Vtothe pressure of luid yin the casing 84C below said diaphragm, through the inlet'85 which is in communication' 'with `the interior fof the subjacent respective storage tank ,'11. Y,

' The normal ei'ect of the Aconstruction and arrangement last above j described vis,` that whenthe fluid in the 4.respective tanklll'.

reaches the degree loi" compression forxwhich the respective spring 7 'has',A been adjusted; the diaphragm- 83 is uplifted Lto.L turnr the ylever clockwise sof asy tocause its`4 roller ,71,

bearing upon the latchvcam70 to thrust tlie respective latch l65" upwardly, against the stressof its spring`63 and thereby permit said 'spring `(S3/to snap the, local switch lever 34 counterclockwise and break thecircuit of the motor energizingpump supplying compressed l.

iluid to that tank and thus stop the compressing operation whenever the `iuidin sai dritank ll vreaches that predetermined pressure. .j g

`However, whenthefluid pressure inv thez diaphrginV casin'plgy 84l diminishes far enough to let said' roller.71 pass :to :the lleft 'of the i, crestof its latch cam O` inFigJIvLvthe latch izo i if* scribed whichshallbe operative-*by the' presv` surego,fluidfelsewhere in 'the'v appara-tus; to

' 1 fluid in itsdiaphragmfchamber 84. myn`'v vention is thek provision ofmean's in cooperaf Y er:

,etti

VVspringy 63 thensnaps the switch closed5 as Each glever-72beingthus forth the opposed? stresses :ofi its spring 7 andfuponitjs Aldiaphragni' 83; 'each yof ysuch controlling n'lechanisrnsi E {the respective casings 36; isnormally 'adapted to. -independ entlylautomatc'ally operate to open and close"v the-energizing circuit olitsyrespe'c'tive pumpm0130118 1n; accordance w1th';the pressure of;

; vHowever, n, an essential ,feature of tiveg krelation.,with iat leastione such switchj controlling mechanism- .as :last above de-E causethe switch mechanism l tQf/unction toy close the :circuit underf conditions; when it would --notl beV normally ,l closed bythe fall of pressure in its 'chamber `84. Specifically,

such Y -'luid pressure from' a source remote v :tromfy 'thej switch-KA ,controlling` ymechanismVv whichit aiects is preferably derivedfrom'k a. containerv in? which/it hasbeen compressedbytheothjenpum'pv l A,hich isnotcontrolledQby:

the switchamechanismthus affected; Y

Intheforin-ofjmy'invention shownin F ig, 'I Irmeanswk are provided to impose; with such extraneous fluidi pressure-` an abnormal stress upon the switch, lever` 34 ,tending 5to close it,V

with the-'effect of closing the circuit` through theflocal L pump motor gbefore thepressureof? Y they fluid `inithe chamberi184Joeneatliithe l diaphragm4 83 isfdimi/nishe'd to the lpointwvlierel Said Switch lever neuldnormallyibe permit @die@1.Osef1mder@Petrollsqlelyeofsaid, Y r72Qandspring"7,6`. l v :Ther` meansV for lapplyi'ngisuch extraneousl lev Y fluid pressureto the switch lefvcnil shown in F ig. II, include thejfcasing 875:'in`which such extraneous ,f fluid@ pressure is, received' in the ,chamber 1788 surroundingthe( conru- .gD-fatedy metal bellows `8 9'withthe eifect of more or lessv collapsing the v latter so-that-(its headQO'moves to themight ingFiggfIjLj-J Said casing .88 and its appurtenances arerigidly connected with the@ casing 36,; conveniently by the housing 9l. Said"housing 91 incloses' the cylindrical chamber'92 iii-which the tubu-"' lar plunger 193,;providedlwithlthefstenr 94",y sm'ounted toreciprocatey-with said stem-in, cooperative relation withLthe head,90 ofsaid bellows. Said :plunger and -stem are' continually stressedtothejleft in Fig. IIzbythe;

spring 96 in said housing, to7 insure/that said.

bellows f 89shallberestoredrto its 'no'rmal'dis-v tended shapeshown in FiguIIg-whenever it:v Vis relievedof said; extraneousiiuid pressure.

jy lSaid yplunger93 fis preferablygprovided with'V the ,relatively reciprocatony -tip';"9 7` whichv is'- continually stressed? relatively to said housing. l93, towardlcits -positionin the latte'shown rV in IIgfbythe 'spring 98 which yieldingly limitsthe stress applied to saidfswitc'h: le'verfv ai;lpyeilvei,movementQil Seda-plunge; 193s In@ thegrightf VinFiIghfIIa,under; thev .foreignrfluid right in, Fig/.'Y'VII vandL impose;y abnormaly stress kuponl4 said` lswitch lever "34 esl-above Centern+A s plated,- andcsaid' switchqleverlsisin `the open -lever v`100, which is lfulcrum'ed. at? 101;,on'said j housingV ,91' andfpiovided withfthelspringlOQ v"pressure in s'aidcharnben 8831130- merely enough toccause said switch to c'losefagamstjthe los Vcalrfluidjpressureg,inithe@diaphragm casing 10 tending to 1 snap thehooked'endf of i said 'let-cli ,over fthe fsho'uldenv 103;; 'fon :said @plunger 93;

yis jftfh en g permitted to automatically e'ngage salid"shoulderVv and,.temporarilyprevent1reg 'i and 'permits it to ibe'irestored position l r; lshown *in said? casing; S75- is f I y unit 25 :the pin f 32,- indicated in Figs.' l ISI? and IIIwhi`ch projects-rearwardly thrusaidfcafs`I ing'intooperative relation withthe plung-'i Y erfl'fsh'owninFig IIT,.- openfsfthe valve 26H f f tof'release the-"compressed air" fromthe con. '118, s

5 latter(.being'sorestrictedfat "itsl end,`oria-1 y denser' L13 intosaid .conduits 107 and 4108; the

fordingby its length"suchffresistance to the youtletof'fsuch"pressuregftherethrm'astomo@ y mentarily imposeval surge of fluid-'pressure 'f upon said bellows 89 thru "said :conduit'1'07 '125.0

with the elfect lofvl'thru'sting plunger 93] to *theg right and imposing abnormal# stress f upon? the' 1switch 1 lever t 34:1: ilocal; thereto, f as above contemplated; 'sof 4that itclos'es "1"whenc the :pressurev in the' c l'iamber 845v one hundred and five pounds.'-

x If thesprings 76 in'f'the respective "control" yslightly"differentlyset;for-'normalperationi 1301,.

for instance Y y, to elosethe circuit-of .theE f and-energize its ipumplmotor-l when the-presi inits diaphragm chamber .84,- andfto clos'e'fthe circuit' ofi the'k :unit` 1.- when.v 4the *pressureA falls togsay, one hundred pounds ,and .toopen'bo'th iucuits land.. stop the f pumlping L operationwhen the iuid thus.icompressedqreaches the pressureo, sayione hundredand fifty pounds intheirespectivecontainers '11 and diaphragm chambers 84 which are connectedin common withfthe manifold .18 asahovedescribed; the e'fect of the connectionof the two units bythe Huid pressure?conduit-107 jandf a its appurtenaricesv 'asabove described is tocause 'the vunit' '1",-tit'hejleft infFig. 1,toautomatically close its circuitandbegintofcompress fluid in'tothe'- dispensing system when .the pressure: therein falls (to, say, one:hundredv and five pounds;

thusbefore either ofsaid units would -normal-4 ly @start compr,essionf'`V Thereupon,'the compressing oper ation :of-the vuni-t -1 by raisin gtlie ilu-id pressu-rerixitthe dispensing systemcomlhonf `to lboth. units", prevents `the initiationof the .f compress'ingg;y oper ation?. ofA unit.y '2 c unless l' anduntilthedemand uponlthe systemffor dispensationr ofl l.fluid becomes greater` than: ycan besuppli'ed by therop'erationofvzunit J1, andthe i pressure inthe-x systemallsto the" .assumedl loqw lpioir'it'of-fone hundred 'and .two vpounds zitores'aidgl whereupon, `theiunit: gcomes into oueratioir l jautomatically'v4 to supplement the' efectfof the unitvhuntilxthe maximum presf sure aforesaid'is attained and both stopthe final' sui-'ge from unit 2,( resetting the plunger 93er :uni-t 1 fas; aforesaid', -to close its-.circuit ndastart it` 4pumping:when the pressure falls to. mme;:hundredand?fivepounds.` 1j :Whenever the vunit .1 operates fand? stopsV i v withouttheunit beingoperatedcoiijointly f plssureto one hundred; pounds vth'e; stop-Ay page ofthe unit2fre'sets the .plunger 931.01'the;

therewith; of-course,"its plunger 93:` is not setl tofinitiate: thef` operation of. `the unit 1*; when the; pressure .'allsfftoV onei hundred andlfivei pounds pand., consequently, whenl the pressure thereafterfnfalls to'- one.. hundred-:'andf'itwo pounds, the uit .2, starts -t'ovfoperate, and whether--ornot-- the unit 1 is caused to oper: alle :,Gonj ointly .with L-theluni-t .2; by the: fall -of unit 1 r so fthatkupon; :resumption Vof vdenfiand, the unit,11;Wi1lirestart1at onehundred and five:- pounds Both :uni-ts .are 1 thusy alternately iop. erative: to supply the; containers 11 with-,fluid under-pressure at from one-.hundred -toone 55 hundredand fifty pounds per square inch,

twounits in accordance with my invention, as

aforesaid, is to economize the cost of opera- Vtion v thereoi'fbyA linsuring that neithershall be operative unlessvits-capacity is. required foto supply thedemand upon. the system, and that they shall-',operate `alternately when. the icas L' Althogf-I k vfind it convenient Vmr-...connect' said? conduit A107 las! above: 'described`v to' take: the fluid pressure from the unit-2l frontlie' vent 'side of ythe"val-ve 26"in -that unit, fit -n'ray beftalen'from'ithe 'other side, or vfrom any.

otherdpartof the unit 2 containing fi'uid'e'onii pressedjloy itsfop'eration. y i Moreover-,I it iis? to floe; understood that" my invention isno't` limitedA to' c thei specific "'coiil' struction 'of the means forYooodinatelycon# necting two fluid" compressing units' as alcove` described,- .for my invention includes any suiti able 'means whereby a plural-ity ofsuclr'units connected to a common' manifold fromvWh-i'ch' the" compressed 'fluidI is dispensed" may beso coordina'tely "connected vthat but Y one of' said"v units is operative when its capacity'i's'fsuiii'- cient to meetthe demand-'uponsaid 'manifold andthe-operation of another unit inthe sys/-v temV is'automa'tically-I'initiated only if and" Y Thereforaf-I do notdesire to limitmyself 'to th'efpreclse 'details of construction and Lar.

rangementhhereih set `forth, -as it is'olovi'ous that-various modiii'cations' may be made tlmre-` 11'. i. fluid 'dispensing apparatus -,the corni tures of,` i'myinvention,- as,l defined v in- 'theflap.;i

-hination-with' av plurality of un-it' fluid 'comi 'sie pressors; of individual electric motors connected'A to respectively operate saidv sors ;v a manifold connected in co1nmonto`thedischarge outlets 'of said compressors; .ele'clj v tric switch means adapted to selectively ener'-, gizez one or 'more ef said compressors simuljtan'eously Yautornatically I loperative 'means controlling if'said switches, including" 'parts adapted to,V be :stressed-'in one direction-*hy spring means and to loe stressed inthe 56p?, posite direct-ion by the fluid coim'ressed';V and" fluid'conducting means c'oordinately connect? ing said:v units, adapted'toenergize the motor; lof :one unittin accordan'cefwith the'fluid'pres-- sureat another funit.- Y p l 2; In fluid 'dispensing' apparatus, the com? hinatien with a-'plurality of unitfluidcomll pressors; ofa Huid dispensing manifold 'coni nected in. common to said compressors; i`n'- dividual electric motors connected toV respecl; tively operate said'fcompressors'; motor coni-J trollingimeans including' ateach 'unitair-deci iin tric switch, a spring adapted to stress said ycontrolling means to eEect the yclosure of said u switch; and means opposing the stressof said spring'and operative by the fluid compressed,

1Ofsaid switch and cause it toclose when-theliuid l pressure in the vapparatus :is higher than e adapted to open said switch when a predeter- Ymined pressure of said fluid is attained.

3. Apparatus as in` claim .2, including means adapted kto vary the pressure at which said switchshall open, including means operated by they pressure 'of saidk fluidl to stress that for which said spring is set.

,4. Apparatus as in claim 2, including means adapted to vary thepressure at which said switch shall open, including means opl` I i erated bythe pressure oi" said fluid to stress of the operation of :one predetermined y bythe pressure offluidat another un1t, and t the number of units operatlngy at any time determined by the rate of .dispensation oflkfluid from' ,said manifold.

In testimony whereof,

said switch and cause it to close when the iiuid l pressure in the apparatus is higher than 4that for which. said spring is set; including a Aplunger adapted to be pressed toward said switch by said fluid, and a catch adapted to detain` said plunger in cooperative relation with saidl switch, until the latteris closed, and f means operative by the closing movement of` said switch to trip said catch and release said plunger. n l Y v y,

5. In fluid dispensing apparatus, the combination with a plurality of'iuid compres-L sors; ot'a manifold connected in common'to said compressors; and controlling ymeans opl eratively connecting'said units, whereby one ory more of said units may be selectively op erated contemporaneously in accordance with manifold.

, the rate of dispensation offiuid through said f 6. Apparatus as in claim 5; wherein each? jk .f

.unit includes an electric motor adapted to 0p erate its compressor, and electrical controlling` Y means for said motor including a switch; a y

"lio

said switch to close it at a pressure of theV fluid upon said lever higher than ythat Jfor which said spring is calibrated; and a fluid conduit connecting said auxiliary controlling means of one vunit with a compressed fluid.

container local to another of said units,

` whereby one 'of saidunits is automatically controlled in accordance with the conditions local to another of said units and with the eiectv olimiting the operation of said units e in accordancewith the rate of dispensation of fluid in said manifold. y

7. In liuid'dispensing apparatus,.the com# bination withV a manifold through which the l fluid isdispensed'; of aplurality'of distinct unit fluid compressors connected in common to said manifoldg and fluid conducting means connecting said units, whereby the initiation I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsyl- I vania, .this twenty-sixth4 day ofvNovember,

so. i

.7,90 v e e loo " vJOSEPH c. wooDFoRn) 17,5- i 

